Abstract: A docking module for removable disk drives provides, in one embodiment, space for two such disk drives within a standard half-height bay. The docking module provides cammed insertion and removal together with hot swappability of disk drives. The bay is provided within a housing member. A door is rotatably mounted on the housing member and configured to serve as a lever arm. An engagement portion for urging a disk drive into the bay protrudes from the door. A slide is mounted within the housing member and connected to the door such that rotation of the door causes the slide to move forward and back within the housing member. A tab on the inner end of the slide engages the disk drive to urge the disk drive out of the bay. Alternative embodiments provide ten or more disk drives at a density of two drives per half height bay.

Abstract: A low profile disk drive assembly comprises an enclosure having a sealed volume substantially laterally displaced with respect to a circuit volume. The sealed volume has an extension which extends laterally toward one corner portion of the enclosure whereas the circuit volume is disposed substantially within an adjacent corner portion of the enclosure. The sealed volume contains one or more disks and a read/write head actuator assembly. A flexible circuit, which couples to the read/write head actuator assembly inside the sealed volume, extends from inside sealed volume, through a wall of the enclosure which separates the sealed volume from the circuit volume, across the circuit volume, and to an interface connector. The interface connector may be used to connect the disk drive assembly to a system with which the disk drive assembly is to operate. A multichip module is mounted on one side of the flexible circuit inside the circuit volume.